Daniel Sonnenfeld,55 years after execution in Syria, Israeli spy Eli Cohen makes headlines,Jerusalem Post, February 27, 2021). I beg you my dear Nadia do not spend your life weeping for what has passed. Cohen's widow, Nadia, said that following the report she appealed directly to Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, demanding answers as to why the deal did not go through. Concentrate on yourself; look forward to a better future!I send you my last kisses to you and to the children: Sophie, Irit, and Shaoul, and to the rest of my family, especially my motherPlease pray for my soul. [7] Cohen is married, has four children and lives in Holon. She has pleaded for years and is still waiting to receive Eli's body. Eli's first instructor Yitzhak learned to memorize things, he throws a dozen objects on the table and Eli observe them for a second and described them. Israel's minister of defense Pinhas Lavon and colonel Benyamin Gibli head of military intelligence, concocted a dangerous and foolish plan if several terrorist bombings were swept Egypt, the British will return to its former bases and concluded that Egypt's couldn't maintain law and order. "I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting for a reply," said the agent. He escaped punishment due to lack of evidence. Years later, in February 2007, a Turkish official confirmed that the government had agreed to look into the matter of returning Eli's remains to his family. They even started to organize a ceremony for Eli at the 'Mossad' headquarters in Glilot. I hope, pray, that he will be returned home by the time I die," Nadia told Haaretz in 2010. On 29 December 2022, Cohen was sworn in as Foreign Minister alongside a new government, and will rotate the position with Israel Katz. But he refused). Periodically Eli would return to Israel to speak with his Israeli handlers and visit his wife and small children. Sacha Baron Cohen-led limited series "The Spy" which comes out today on Netflix tells the true story of how famed Israeli Mossad agent Eli Cohen went undercover in 1960s Syria. I send you my last kisses to you and to the children: Sophie, Irit, and Shaoul, and to the rest of my family, especially my mother. They had three children, Sophie, Irit, and Shai. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. [11], The Mossad recruited Cohen after Director-General Meir Amit, looking for a special agent to infiltrate the Syrian government, came across his name while looking through the agency's files of rejected candidates, after none of the current candidates seemed suitable for the job. In the name of the Syrian Arab people, The Military court has decided in its meeting which was held on Muharram 7th, 1385 - May 8th, 1965 to sentence Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen, a resident of Tel Aviv in Occupied Palestine, to death for committing the following crimes: The crime of disguised entry into a military location. "The moment that they informed me [of the watch's recovery] my mouth went dry and I got the chills," Nadia told Israeli TV. In March 1963, General Hafez, Eli's friend was appointed minister of defense in salah Al-Birat's cabinet. To establish his cover, Cohen moved to Buenos Aires in 1961. At the end of 1961, Syria dissolved its union with Egypt, which had lasted a mere three years. in Israel, he found the job of translating weekly and monthly magazines for a man after a few months he was fired. His last wish was to see a rabbi. Hence, Nissim Andabo, the elderly chief rabbi of Syria accompanied him to Marjeh Square.. Israel tried to obtain the cooperation of her Arab neighbors for the plan, but the Arabs would not agree, even when the United States tried to use its diplomatic leverage for the furtherance of the plan. Eli Cohen - Wikipedia He had seventeen lovers in Syria, all dazzling beauties with a fair degree of family power. Eli hoped as did Israeli Intelligence that these women would help him escape in time of crisis.. His remains have yet to be returned, despite pleas from his family. Sign in to stop seeing this, Sara Netanyahu accosted by protesters at Tel Aviv hair salon, extricated by police, Brides joy turns to sorrow after Elan Ganeles killed driving to her wedding, Hiker discovers 2,500-year-old ancient receipt from reign of Purim kings father, Netanyahu compares Tel Aviv protesters to settlers who set fire to Huwara. In 1963, during a business trip to Germany, he met Weltrude Scheffeldt, a divorcee, then 22 and with a small child, and married her. One of the ministrys directors entered the room unannounced. Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Spy. He made friends who moved in highly influential Syrian circles, transmitting his findings back to Israel via radio. But he spent most of his time in Tel Aviv perfecting his cover and being briefed on Amans requirements of him in Syria, as well as last-minute intelligence data needed for his mission. His success in effectively penetrating the Syrian social and political/diplomatic/military strata already wildly exceeded Amans expectations of him, Cohen arrived in Damascus in February 1962, posing as a businessman from Argentina who had returned to his native land. Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur, Defense Minister Ezer Weizmann, and many Mossad officials attended Eli's son's bar mitzvah in 1977. That is, until Meir Dagan took over as chief. Look after them, raise them up and educate them well, and don't deprive them or yourself of anythingDo what you must, don't deprive the children of a father. Cohen's training was long and exhausting. (Haim Zach/GPO). The purposes of that visit were to pass on intelligence and to enable him to witness the birth of his third child. In 1960, Cohen was approached by the Mossad for a mission in Syria. [8], Cohen was found guilty of espionage by a military tribunal and sentenced to death under martial law. But his knowledge of. Its waters flow into the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) and south to the Dead Sea. Al-Hafidh claims he was in negotiations with the Mossad to reveal the information, but wanted $1million for his services which the intelligence agency refused to pay. "My darling Nadia, and my dear family,I am writing you these last words, minutes before my end, with the hope that you stay together forever.I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen heads to Germany Tuesday as part of Israel's campaign to halt Iran's . The agency concluded that Cohen had a high IQ, great bravery, a phenomenal memory, and the ability to keep a secret; but the tests also showed that in spite of his modest appearance, he has an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and a lot of internal tension. Cohen, the results indicated, does not always evaluate danger correctly, and is liable to assume risks beyond those which are necessary.. He was eventually exposed and captured by Syrian Intelligence in 1965, sentenced to death and hung at Damascus' main square. The Ba'athist coup and Eli Cohen's role. Eli Cohen was now a member of the inner circle of power. He was sent to Argentina, where he took on the guise of a businessman, scion of a Syrian family. [7], Following state-sponsored anti-Semitic attacks on its Jewish communities, many of them fled or were expelled, and Cohen was forced to leave the country in December 1956. Nine months later, in late 1961, Eli came back to Israel for a visit with his wife Nadia. ", "Former Assad aide: Eli Cohen's burial site unknown],mm", "New footage emerges of Eli Cohen on the gallows", "Mossad Brings Home Watch of Israeli Spy Executed in Syria; Netanyahu Hails 'Brave' Op", "Watch of famed Israeli spy Eli Cohen recovered by Mossad", "The saga of Eli Cohen, Israel's greatest spy", "Will Assad's Ouster Free Body of Israel Spy? He was convicted in a trial without a defense and sentenced to death. Israeli spy's widow 'hurt' by Netflix biopic, but welcomes publicity (Israel GPO), President Reuven Rivlin and Nadia Cohen, at a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Mossad super spy Eli Cohen, May 18, 2015. Unending Agony for Legendary Spy Eli Cohen and His Widow Cohen heads to Germany to discuss Iran uranium enrichment, IRGC In the 1987 TV movie 'The Impossible Spy,' Michal Bat-Adam portrayed Nadia, while in the 2019 'Netflix' series 'The Spy,' Hadar Ratzon-Rotem played her, with Sacha Baron Cohen as Eli. Cohen would then send intelligence back to Israel using a hidden radio transmitter. One of the most difficult tasks for Eli Cohen was to learn the intricate and unmistakable phonetic tune of Syrian Arabic; prior to his intelligence training, his Egyptian accent was undeniable. His trainer was an Iraqi-born Jew who had extensive experience training operatives in speaking Arabic and the traditions and Muslim customs. Altogether, he returned to Israel three times between 1962 and 1965. He was interrogated and tortured. She was told he would be completely safe, and she believed that until his capture in 1965. In the footsteps of a spy: Exploring the Golan's Eli Cohen Trail Melita Norwood | longest-serving British spy | Melita Norwood Book, Death, Family, Daughter | melita norwood images. With time he was taken even more into the confidence of the highest echelons of power. He was supposed to stay in Buenos Aires as a Syrian migr businessman named Kamal Amin Taabet. Spy Eli Cohen Wife Love Story, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally. [9], In 1959, he married Nadia Majald, born circa 1935,[10] an Iraqi-Jewish immigrant and the sister of author Sami Michael. Thus, he wished to terminate his assignment in Syria. For as little as $6/month, you will: Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. In real life, the closeness between Hafiz and Cohen has been disputed by the former president of Syria, who claimed in a 2001 interview with Al Jazeera that they couldn't have met in Buenos Aires because Hafiz was in Moscow until 1962, by which time Cohen had gone undercover as Thaabet in Damascus. Eli Cohen, at 29, offered his services to the Israeli Intelligence Services but was rebuked twice. It also provides 30% of Israels water sources. The execution was recorded on 35mm film. Eli Cohen was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on December 26, 1924. What Netflix's 'The Spy' Gets Wrong About Eli Cohen try to make as many friends as possible, and establish contact with Arab leaders. [4] His father had moved there from Aleppo in 1914. His wife, Nadia, would be left a widow with three very young children. A year later your sister dies.in 1947 all of you arrived in Argentina. He worked as an accountant and translator. His successes couldn't be vocally shared with his family, however. [9] The governments of Belgium, Canada, and France tried to persuade the Syrian government to commute the death sentence,[25] but the Syrians refused. He lasted until just July that year when he resigned in protest of the Ba'ath military committee executing dissenting rivals who tried to stage a coup for power. As a young adult, he worked within Egypt to secretly assist other Egyptian Jews in emigrating to Israel. He organized several protest campaigns against the British rule. [9], Syria refused to return Cohen's body to his family in Israel, and his wife Nadia sent a letter to Amin al-Hafiz in November 1965 asking his forgiveness for Cohen's actions and requesting his remains. Concentrate on yourself, looking forward for a better future! Cohen wrote in his final letter on 15 May 1965:[7]. Source:The Pedagogic Center, The Department for Jewish Zionist Education, The Jewish Agency for Israel, (c) 1992-2007. A month later, a Syrian officer would say that one of Israel's attack architects had been Eli Cohen, who was in Israel during the battle. tabet sends it to Argentina, where his friend dispatches them to Israel with a diplomatic pouch. This week, KAN 11 began broadcasting a documentary series "Lochem 566," (Fighter 566, Cohen's Mossad codename). children: Irit Cohen, Shai Cohen, Sophie Cohen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxhaPGREa74. Cohen (Sacha Baron Cohen) was the kind of guy to leave his wife spontaneous love letters throughout the house. Eli Cohenalso learned to identify the type and age of tanks, aircraft, and cannons. Qudsi was ousted from power as a result of the March 8 coup, but Hafiz did not take power until months later. You're not alone. After several days, Eli got a new identity as. they suspect on a tablet but they verify the Tibet's transmission two times at 8 am precisely they broke into the tablet home, Eli was caught red-handed in the transmission. They further said that the use of the term "partner" is generic and is applied to all those agencies with which we have contact. Please try again or choose an option below. The watch is now on display at the 'Mossad' headquarters. Al-Gamal, for his part, adopted the Jewish identity of Jacques Biton and immigrated to Israel from France on the orders of Egyptian intelligence. ", "Sacha Baron Cohen To Star As Eli Cohen in Netflix Limited Series 'The Spy', Cohen's widow asks for his remains to be returned, PM's speech at the ceremony marking 40 years since the death of Eli Cohen, Our man in Damascus: Eli Cohen of blessed memory, Exhibition in the IDF & Defense Establishment Archives, Eli Cohen, moments after the execution (part 1), Eli Cohen, moments after the execution (part 2), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eli_Cohen&oldid=1140124388, Egyptian people convicted of spying for Israel, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having same image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 15:41. In January 1947, he was enlisted in the Egyptian army as an alternative to paying the mandatory sum that all young Jews had to pay. The Syrians and their Russian advisers were alarmed by the intelligence that was seeping out of the country. Eli Cohen was the man for the job. [34], The Israeli settlement Eliad on the Golan Heights is named for him.[35]. Syrian counterintelligence eventually uncovered the spy conspiracy and convicted Cohen under pre-war martial law, sentencing him to death and hanging him publicly in 1965. While there, he gained the trust of Amin al-Hafez, who would later become Syrias president. [29] Mossad director Yossi Cohen presented it to Cohen's family in a ceremony, and it is currently on display at Mossad headquarters. I beg my wife to forgive me, to take care of herself and our children. According to al-Gamal's version, he saw a photograph in an Arab newspaper at a newspaper stand in Frankfurt's train station that showed Amin Kamel Thabet touring fortifications on the Golan Heights with Syrian officers. Eli Cohen's son, Shaul, was only 2 weeks old when he last saw his father. For the next two years, he worked as a filing clerk in a Tel Aviv insurance office. Eli Cohen Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements He took on the name Kamel Amin Thaabet and went to live in Argentina for some time to build a name for himself in the Syrian expat community. For two weeks Cohen was put under surveillance and was judged suitable for recruitment and training. A month later, a Syrian officer would say that one of Israel's attack architects had been Eli Cohen, who was in Israel during the battle. Employment was not always steady, and he soon had to rely more on Nadia to help support their marriage, which would quickly lead to children. While Eli was not directly involved with the Operation Susannah spies, he was involved with pro-Israel activity, and he was brutally questioned by Egypts Intelligence Services. In his late teens, Cohen became an ardent Zionist and at the same time, as . He returned home to his family only a few times during his mission. Also in Episode 5, viewers see Hafiz assume power after demanding the resignation of Syria's then-president, Nazim al-Qudsi. Nadia believed it and went to see him off at the airport in 1961. [5], His parents and three brothers left for Israel in 1949, but he remained to finish a degree in electronics and coordinate Jewish and Zionist activities. Al-Hafidh wanted a million dollars for his services, texting: "1M for the minimum for kick start. The president was ousted from power a year later in 1966. On the day of his execution, his last wish to see a rabbi was respected by the prison authorities, and Nissim Indibo, the elderly Chief Rabbi of Syria, accompanied him in the truck. . "You know, when I was growing up, I heard a tremendous amount about your husband. On September 20, 2016, an unknown Syrian group named 'Syrian Art Treasures' posted a 'Facebook' video showing Eli's body after his execution. Sophia Cohen the 26-year-old daughter of billionaire hedge funder and Mets owner Steve Cohen is no longer engaged to her financier boyfriend Jason Levine, Page Six has confirmed. Eli could watch the entrance to the Syrian government officials' guest house. Thats when he met Nadia Majald, an Iraqi-born Jewish woman who lived near his brother and his wife. Fiyaz Mughal,Eli Cohens body must be returned to Israel, The JC, (Undated). He is being executed according to the two articles 158 and 159 of the military penal code, and articles 271, 272, and 274 of the general penal code. I want him (Yossi Cohen) to clarify what hapepned," said the 84-year-old. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. "Sophie's. I am begging you my dear Nadia not to spend your time in weeping about some thing already passed. But an interview published in the Cairo Times yesterday with the German-born Weltrude Scheffeldt-Biton suggests that Egyptian intelligence played the most important role in unmasking Cohen. During their exchange, Cohen signs off by asking, "Did N get the Singer?" I don't want to go to my death longing for my Eli to rest in the soil of the land that he loved and for which he gave his life. [11] Start with Mossad [ edit] In The Spy, based on the true story of Israeli agent Eli Cohen, comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen takes on a serious role, playing the title character. Nadia, however, never remarried. In addition, the commander of Syrian Intelligence, Colonel Ahmed Suedani trusted no one and disliked Eli. The Arabs would have none of it and decided to divert the sources of the Jordan River which originated in Arab-held territory. In this way, the Arabs hoped to deprive Israel of the waters she would need for her national growth. - From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. Syria tortures him but he was still lying, his face was covered with wounds, his nail was pulled out. For his loyalties, Hafiz grooms Thaabet to be deputy defense minister in his government. Eli Cohen The Most Successful Name in The History of Espionage "I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," he told Newshub in an interview. Others have attributed the carelessness to an almost suicidal tendency perhaps, it was later surmised, he had been in the undercover world too long, but knew he couldnt get out of it. While working as an intelligence officer offer him a job with high pay, Eli didn't say no and become a secret agent. Scheffeldt, 63, is the widow of Rifa'at al-Gamal, an Egyptian spy who reportedly operated in Israel for a number of years. Every morning, Eli would leave home and head for the Aman training center. In the fifties, Israel had launched a project of huge pipeline and canals that would carry a part of the jorden river water to the arid Negev region. In February 2007, a Turkish official assured assistance to Eli's family to get back his body. He had been repeatedly interrogated and tortured. [22], It is claimed that the intelligence that Cohen gathered before his arrest was an important factor in Israel's success in the Six-Day War,[23] although some intelligence experts have argued that the information he provided about the Golan Heights fortifications was also readily available from ground and aerial reconnaissance. He continued his social life, spending a lot of time in cafes listening to political gossip. It, however, did not change the situation. The Kinneret supplies Israel with most of its water needs. Today, one can see the former Syrian bunkers that remain on the Golan Heights from 1967 (as well as the tanks from 1973). He soon established himself in the social and cultural life of the Syrian community of Buenos Aires and was known as a wealthy businessman who was generous, tipped well, and loved the night life. Ahead of the mission, Cohen had to learn to speak Arabic in a Syrian accent rather than his native Egyptian. Eliyahu Ben-Shaul Cohen (Hebrew: , Arabic: ; 6 December 1924 18 May 1965), commonly known as Eli Cohen, was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eli-cohen-16869.php. He arrived in Israel on February 8, 1957. In 1961, Eli was sent to Buenos Aires in the guise of a Syrian textile businessman. Various reports say that Biton was unveiled and offered the option of becoming a double agent. References ^ Eli Cohen Knesset ^ Eli Cohen Ministry of Economy and Industry ^ Kulanu list Central Elections Committee Cohen was then informed that Mossad had decided to recruit him and underwent an intensive six-month course at the Mossad training school. Hafiz ordered Cohen's execution after he was convicted of espionage in 1965. "- From Eli Cohen's last letter to his wife Nadia and his children, written an hour before his execution in Damascus. When the Golan was captured in 1967, at almost the end of the Six-Day War, settlers in the north could finally feel relieved. In a display of generosity, the tabet contributed some money to build a public kitchen for the poor of Damascus. Cohen was arrested in January 1965 while transmitting to his handlers. In 1949, his parents and three brothers moved to Israel while Eli remained in Egypt to coordinate Jewish and Zionist activities there. The Golan is not only important for its military significance. Once registered, youll receive our Daily Edition email for free. Nadia still holds a grudge against the 'Mossad' handlers who had sent Eli to Syria, an action that had taken him away from her, forever. later he handed with Syrian passport in name of kamal Amin tabet, he advised to open a bank account in that name and start visiting Arab restaurants, the cinema where Arab movies are shown, and political club. Eliyahu (Eli) Cohen, an Egyptian Jew, was born in Alexandria in 1924. They married in 1959, a month after meeting, and had three children together. Last year, Israel was able to retrieve Cohens wristwatch from Syria and return it to his family.